China Books

Famen Temple is a well-known Buddhist monastery in China, located in the north of Fufeng county, Shaanxi province, 10 kilometres from Xi'an. The excavation of relics from Famen Temple crypt has provided access to the studies of Buddhist culture and has assisted in the further study of the many unknown aspects of Tang dynasty civilisation. Chinese-English-Japanese edition. (For this item please quote stock ID 1549) ISBN: 9787541801914

(For this item please quote stock ID 4300) ISBN: 9780385483490

This portrait of the Buddhist embodiment of compassion is both an informative study by a leading scholar of Buddhism and an engaging account of the author's search for the mystical significance of the goddess. An object of joyous devotion in Chinese folk religion, Kuan Yin is revered for her saving power: it is said that anyone in distress who calls on her with sincerity will be rescued from suffering and harm. On a deeper level, Kuan Yin symbolises the liberating energy of compassion, which is an indispensable aid in the quest for enlightenment. John Blofeld evokes the charming presence of Kuan Yin through colorful anecdotes, personal experiences, and descriptions of Buddhist rituals and legends encountered during his travels throughout China. At the same time, he offers a learned account of the goddess's history and importance in Chinese thought and religion. He explores the origin of the Bodhisattva of Compassion in India and Tibet, in the form of Avalokiteshvara (Tibetan: Chenresig), a male deity who evolved into the gentle mother/maiden figure of Chinese Buddhism. Meditation and visualisation techniques associated with Kuan Yin are given, and her principal iconographic forms are described. Illustrated with images from Chinese and Tibetan sacred art, the book also contains translations of devotional poems and yogic texts. Bodhisattva of Compassion is undoubtedly the most complete and illuminating picture of Kuan Yin available. (For this item please quote stock ID 4547) ISBN: 9780877731269

Boldt's great classic is not just about getting a job, it's about people who want to express their talents in a meaningful way that serves others. It is based on the premise that every individual is the artist of his or her life. Offering first a vision of new possibilities in work and then more traditional career planning, Boldt guides the reader through the practical action steps to finding and fulfilling one's life work. Contents: >Prologue: The Art of Life's Work >Introduction: The Grail Quest or the Bourgeois Nest? >Chapter 1: The Tao of Work; or, Creative Self-Expression >Chapter 2: Zen at Work; or, Poetry in Motion >Chapter 3: Myth at Work; or, Crafting the Story of Your Life >Chapter 4: The World Calls for the Postmodern (Blissful) Hero (For this item please quote stock ID 4607) ISBN: 9780140195996

(For this item please quote stock ID 4712) ISBN: 9780712619523

The wisdom of Chinese classics in comics! Tsai Chih Chung's books have sold over 40 million copies in 44 countries around the world. (For this item please quote stock ID 4728) ISBN: 9787801885111

An incisive examination of a spiritual journey. With humor and insight, The Double Mirror illuminates the sometimes precarious meeting of Western notions of individuality and democratic principles with Eastern avenues of devotion and spiritual surrender. Drawing from his personal experience as a practitioner of Buddhist tantra, the author examines the effects of Buddhist practice on personality, autonomy, perception, and health. He discusses what the Buddhist path has to offer Americans and evaluates Buddhism as both a cult and a valid system of personal transformation. Candidly explores such topics as guru devotion. (For this item please quote stock ID 4766) ISBN: 9781556431760

'Stopping' and 'seeing' are sometimes referred to as the yin and yang of Buddhist meditation - complementary twin halves of a unified whole. In essence, 'stopping and seeing' refers to stopping delusion and seeing truth, processes back to basic Buddhist practice. One of the most comprehensive manuals written on these two essential points of Buddhist meditation is The Great Stopping and Seeing, a monumental work written by sixth-century Buddhist master Chih-i. Stopping and Seeing, the first translation of this essential text, covers the principles and methods of a wide variety of Buddhist meditation techniques and provides an in-depth presentation of the dynamics of these practices. (For this item please quote stock ID 5464) ISBN: 9781570622755

The first English translation of the teachings of Foyan, a twelfth-century Chinese master recognised as one of the greatest of the Song Dynasty Zen revival. (For this item please quote stock ID 5871) ISBN: 9781556431937

Hui-Neng (638?713) is perhaps the most beloved and respected figure in Zen Buddhism. An illiterate woodcutter who attained enlightenment in a flash, he became the Sixth Patriarch of Chinese Zen, and is regarded as the founder of the 'Sudden Enlightenment' school. He is the supreme exemplar of the fact that neither education nor social background has any bearing on the attainment of enlightenment. This collection of his talks, also known as the Platform or Altar Sutra, is the only Zen record of its kind to be generally honoured with the appellation sutra, or scripture. The Sutra of Hui Neng is here accompanied by Hui Neng's verse-by-verse commentary on the Diamond Sutra - in its very first published English translation ever. (For this item please quote stock ID 5880) ISBN: 9781570623486

This guide to enlightened conduct for people in positions of authority is based on the teachings of several great Zen masters of China. Drawing on private records, letters, and long-lost documents of the Song dynasty (10th-13th century), the book consists of short excerpts written in a language that is accessible to readers without any background in Eastern philosophy. In part, the teachings are a guide to recognising genuine spiritual authority in a Zen teacher - guidance that has been much needed throughout the history of Zen, owing to the prevalence of imitators and false teachers. The book may also be read as a study of the personal qualities and conduct necessary for the mastery of any position of power and authority, whether religious, social, political, or organisational. (For this item please quote stock ID 5890) ISBN: 9780877738930

(For this item please quote stock ID 6065) ISBN: 9780042941233

Is there a Buddhist discourse on sex? In this innovative study, Bernard Faure reveals Buddhism's paradoxical attitudes toward sexuality. His remarkably broad range covers the entire geography of this religion, and its long evolution from the time of its founder, Xvkyamuni, to the pre-modern age. The author's anthropological approach uncovers the inherent discrepancies between the normative teachings of Buddhism and what its followers practice. Framing his discussion on some of the most prominent Western thinkers of sexuality - Georges Bataille and Michel Foucault - Faure draws from different reservoirs of writings, such as the orthodox and heterodox 'doctrines' of Buddhism, and its monastic codes. Virtually untapped mythological as well as legal sources are also used. The dialectics inherent in Mahvyvna Buddhism, in particular in the Tantric and Chan/Zen traditions, seemed to allow for greater laxity and even encouraged breaking of taboos. Faure also offers a history of Buddhist monastic life, which has been buffeted by anticlerical attitudes, and by attempts to regulate sexual behavior from both within and beyond the monastery. In two chapters devoted to Buddhist homosexuality, he examines the way in which this sexual behavior was simultaneously condemned and idealised in medieval Japan. This book will appeal especially to those interested in the cultural history of Buddhism and in pre-modern Japanese culture. But the story of how one of the world's oldest religions has faced one of life's greatest problems makes fascinating reading for all. (For this item please quote stock ID 6856) ISBN: 9780691059976

'This work will remain one of this century's classic histories of China. Gernet's account of Buddhism is sobering' ? Journal of Asian Studies. 'This is perhaps the greatest contribution of Gernet's work: he demonstrates through the skilled use of a dazzling variety of literary evidence the complexity of the interchange between Buddhism and Chinese society' ? China Review International. 'This is an analysis of Buddhist practice within its socio-economic context and still one of the best examples of Chinese social history in any discipline in 40 years. For new generations of researchers, the 40 years' wait [for the English translation] has been worth it' ? China Review. 'The value of this book is its translations of primary sources and its salutary reminder of the importance of economic motivations and activities in the history of Chinese Buddhism' ? Pacific Affairs. First published in French in 1956, this classic work integrates the study of Buddhist doctrine with that of Chinese society from the fifth to the 10th centuries. About the Author: Jacques Gernet is the author of China and the Christian Impact: A Conflict of Cultures and Daily Life in China: On the Eve of the Mongol Invasion, 1250-1276. He is the co-author of A History of Chinese Civilization. Franciscus Verellen is a member of the Ecole Française d'Extreme-Oreint. (For this item please quote stock ID 7394) ISBN: 9780231114110

(For this item please quote stock ID 11351) ISBN: 9780937064221

(For this item please quote stock ID 11581) ISBN: 9780271017150

(For this item please quote stock ID 11711) ISBN: 9789748921860

The crowning cultural achievement of medieval India, Tantric Buddhism is known in the West primarily for the sexual practices of its adherents, who strive to transform erotic passion into spiritual ecstasy. Historians of religion have long held that the enlightenment thus attempted was for men only, and that women in the movement were at best marginal and subordinated and at worst degraded and exploited. Miranda Shaw argues to the contrary, presenting extensive new evidence of the outspoken and independent female founders of the Tantric movement and their creative role in shaping its distinctive vision of gender relations and sacred sexuality. 'This book is a welcome and wonderful addition to feminist scholarship on Buddhism, a rapidly growing endeavor...Miranda Shaw's discussion of passion and intimacy as a path of practice is exemplary in its demonstration that such practices can only be undertaken by equals who share the same vision, the same aspiration for enlightenment, and the same training and meditative skills' - Rita Gross, Shambhala Sun. 'A feminist critique of a male (and Western) view of the Tantric tradition [and also] a balanced reassessment of a tradition too long misunderstood' - James George, Parabola. (For this item please quote stock ID 12554) ISBN: 9780691010908

Largely unstudied until now, the religious festivals that attracted Chinese people from all walks of life provide the most instructive examples of the interaction between Chinese forms of social life and the Indian tradition of Buddhism. Stephen Teiser examines one of the most important of such annual celebrations. He provides a comprehensive interpretation of the festivities of the seventh lunar month, in which laypeople presented offerings to Buddhist monks to gain salvation for their ancestors. Teiser uncovers a wide range of sources, many translated or analysed for the first time in any language, to demonstrate how the symbolism, rituals, and mythology of the ghost festival pervaded the social landscape of medieval China. 'Teiser offers an excellent study of the role of the festival in medieval (third-to-ninth centuries) Chinese religious life...[A] vibrant portrayal of the living faith of a large portion of medieval China...His transcendence of traditional boundaries between Buddhology and sinology has set a new standard for future studies of Chinese religion' - Terry F. Kleeman, The Journal of Asian Studies. 'An admirable attempt to focus on the interstices of Chinese and Buddhist conceptions of the afterlife' - Linda L. Lam-Easton, Religious Studies Review. (For this item please quote stock ID 13247) ISBN: 9780691026770

This book is the first to engage Zen Buddhism philosophically on crucial issues from a perspective that is informed by the traditions of Western philosophy and religion. It focuses on one renowned Zen master, Huang Po, whose recorded sayings exemplify the spirit of the 'golden age' of Zen in medieval China, and on the transmission of these writings to the West. While deeply sympathetic to the Zen tradition, it raises serious questions about the kinds of claims that can be made on its behalf. (For this item please quote stock ID 14312) ISBN: 9780521789844

This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the Chan (Japanese, Zen) Buddhist Path. The author, Chan Master Sheng-yen, is a revered figure in the Chinese Buddhist diaspora who divides his time between institutions in Taipei and New York. Although Zen Buddhism originated and evolved in China and is experiencing a revival there today, most Westerners are far more familiar with its Japenese manifestation. Master Sheng-yen hopes this book will help rectify this situation. Most of the book is given over to normative instructions on the Buddhist path, intended for readers with a personal interest in Buddhist thought and practice. Sheng-yen offers such readers a course that blends academic learning, study of Buddhist doctrine, and rigorous meditation practice. (For this item please quote stock ID 14963) ISBN: 9780195136937

In The Complete Book of Zen, Shaolin Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit explains the principles and practice of Zen with a clarity that comes only with true understanding. He traces the history and development of Zen, following its geographical path from its early beginnings in India to China, and then to Japan. He shows how Zen lies at the heart of many great works of art and culture, and then relates its practice to daily life, showing how Zen training and meditation can enhance inner strength, concentration, intuition, and emotional balance. (For this item please quote stock ID 16072) ISBN: 9780091876555

This book brings together classic essays on Chinese Buddhism by Arthur Wright, one of the world's leading scholars of premodern China. Scattered and inaccessible until now, Wright's essays form a concise and authoritative introduction to Chinese Buddhism, establishing a broad periodisation for the growth of Buddhism in China, providing a clear conceptual framework for it, and describing its major developments. It is a volume that will be of great value to both scholars and students. 'An accessible and coherent volume on Buddhism in China. A variety of topics are covered which will give the general reader a preliminary insight into this vast and fascinating field' - Britain-China Newsletter. 'The rise (and fall) of Buddhist China probably marked one of the most broad and complex cultural shifts in the history of the planet...It is remarkable how far-sighted [Wright] was in his agenda for future work' - T. H. Barrett, Times Literary Supplement. (For this item please quote stock ID 16479) ISBN: 9780300047172

When you are frustrated with life's problems, Zen is indispensable! Zen serves like a boat that helps you cross life's torrents safely. It is like a doctor, whom you do not need while healthy; but when you are ill, he is indispensable. Keeping you serene, contented and free from worry are just a few practical applications of Zen to our daily living. Zen is an easy-to-understand discussion of Buddhism with application to modern, everyday life. Zen answers such questions as >What is happiness? >What is nirvana? >Why is meditation as 'the exploration of inner space'? >How can tai chi ch'uan be used as a health system? >What is the relationship between language and reality? >What is the theory of equilibrium in education, in government, and in diet? >Why is lateral thinking an expression of the highest wisdom? C. N. Hu was brought up as a shramanera (novice monk) for the first ten years of his life in China. A graduate of Saint John's University in Shanghai and the University of California at Berkeley, the late Professor Hu taught Chinese language and culture at the Defense Language Institute for 30 years. An excerpt from Zen: ?The basic problems we face are that we can never get what we want in life. And worse still, our goals constantly change. Once we have reached one goal, we might have something else in mind. In other words, we merely exist. We do not live. We are always in the expectation of living. Because of this pattern of yearning, we are constantly confronted with frustrations. Life turns out to be just a problem solving process. It is quite obvious and everyone can see for himself that there are more failures than successes in life. And furthermore what we normally consider to be a success in life is, in effect, transitory. There is no permanency whatsoever. ?In order to avoid frustration and stop worrying on one hand, and to attain peace and enjoy happiness on the other, we must re-evaluate our mode of living and we must re-examine our traditional value judgment. Above all, we must re-orient our philosophy of life. ?Zen can soothe your tension. Zen can make you regain your perspectives in life. Zen understands and appreciates the intimacy of psychosomatic relations. While stressing mental hygiene, it can offer you physical well-being.' What others have said about Zen: 'Skillfully uses western terminology to explain Eastern philosophy' - Yi-fa, Bikshuni, Fo-kuang Shan Temple 'Provides a unique approach to Buddhism' - J. Chen, associate professor, Beijing University 'Very well researched . . . I enjoyed the book' - D. Seckler, former associate professor of economics, Kansas State University 'Valuable guide book' - Book Reader 'Zen by C. N. Hu has given me a clearer picture of Buddhism and its relation to other Asian philosophies than other books I've read to date' - P. Lee, San Francisco (For this item please quote stock ID 16496) ISBN: 9780962076503

'Simply gorgeous...a beautifully illustrated daily manual with one-line meditations from Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Lieh Tzu and others...Exceptional graphic design' - Publishers Weekly. 'A here and now book of Taoist gems of wisdom' - The New Times. 'One of the prettiest thought-for-the-day books I've seen' - New Age Retailer. (For this item please quote stock ID 16722) ISBN: 9780806998510

In question and answer form, this book addresses and answers many of the questions concerning Buddhism over the past 2500 years. The first three chapters each give a succinct exposition of the Buddhist Three Gems: i.e. Buddha, Dhamma (Buddhist doctrine), and Sangha (the Buddhist Order). The last two chapters contain a brief history of Indian and Chinese Buddhism. Chapter five is packed with detailed information, and expresses the innermost feelings of the author. In giving a thorough analysis of the spread, development and evolution of Buddhism in China - as well as the relationship between Buddhism and everyday life and the impact of Buddhism on social, intellectual and cultural development - the last chapter contends that we should carry forward the advantages of popular Buddhism and make it serve contemporary social and cultural life. (For this item please quote stock ID 17758) ISBN: 9787560018348

First paperback edition 'Kuei-feng Tsung-mi (781-841) is one of the towering figures of T'ang-dynasty Buddhism.... [A] powerful and original intellect, he developed in [his] works a vision of Buddhism that came to have significant impact on the interpretation of the religion in Sung-dynasty China and beyond in Korea and early medieval Japan.... 'Professor Gregory is without a doubt the leading Western authority on Tsung-mi.... As his book's title suggests, he is particularly concerned here to present Tsung-mi's vision as a creative Chinese response to and reformulation of some of the central tenets of Mahayana Buddhist thought. In this [Gregory's] book not only represents a major advance in the study of Tsung-mi, surpassing in scope of vision anything hitherto attempted, it also has much to say to those with interest in the intellectual life of the T'ang dynasty and, more broadly, in the history of Chinese philosophy and religious thought. It is a masterful piece of work, sure to be standard reading in Chinese Buddhist studies for years to come.' - Cahiers d'Extreme Asie 'Gregory deserves the highest praise for having produced a superlative study of a most involved topic, and for having done so in an elegant and lucid prose style. His scholarship is impeccable; his exhaustive use of the extensive Japanese secondary literature complements his facility with the extremely abstruse and difficult Chinese materials that form the basis of his study.... [A] splendid academic accomplishment.' -Journal of Asian Studies Peter N. Gregory is Jill Ker Conway Professor of Religion and East Asian Studies at Smith College. (For this item please quote stock ID 18146) ISBN: 9780824826239

'A major contribution to our understanding of Kuan-yin (Kannon) in East Asian Buddhism, giving a most lucid account of the concept of the compassionate bodhisattva and of the religious practices devoted to this ?Goddess of Mercy´ as she has become popularly known in the West' ? Wm. Theodore de Bary, John Mitchell Mason Professor Emeritus and Provost Emeritus, Columbia University. 'Without a doubt, Kuan-yin will surely become the starting point for all future research on this extraordinarily popular Buddhist figure...The book is sui generis for Buddhist Studies' ? Victor H. Mair, University of Pennsylvania. By far one of the most important objects of worship in the Buddhist traditions, the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is regarded as the embodiment of compassion. He has been widely revered throughout the Buddhist countries of Asia since the early centuries of the Common Era. While he was closely identified with the royalty in South and Southeast Asia, and the Tibetans continue to this day to view the Dalai Lamas as his incarnations, in China he became a she - Kuan-yin, the 'Goddess of Mercy' - and has a very different history. The causes and processes of this metamorphosis have perplexed Buddhist scholars for centuries. In this groundbreaking, comprehensive study, Chün-fang Yü discusses this dramatic transformation of the (male) Indian bodhisattva Avalokitesvara into the (female) Chinese Kuan-yin - from a relatively minor figure in the Buddha´s retinue to a universal savior and one of the most popular deities in Chinese religion. Focusing on the various media through which the feminine Kuan-yin became constructed and domesticated in China, Yü thoroughly examines Buddhist scriptures, miracle stories, pilgrimages, popular literature, and monastic and local gazetteers - as well as the changing iconography reflected in Kuan-yin´s images and artistic representations - to determine the role this material played in this amazing transformation. The book eloquently depicts the domestication of Kuan-yin as a case study of the indigenisation of Buddhism in China and illuminates the ways this beloved deity has affected the lives of all Chinese people down the ages. (For this item please quote stock ID 20095) ISBN: 9780231120296

From the first century, when Buddhism entered China, the foreign religion shaped Chinese philosophy, beliefs, and ritual. At the same time, Buddhism had a profound effect on the material world of the Chinese. This wide-ranging study shows that Buddhism brought with it a vast array of objects big and small - relics treasured as parts of the body of the Buddha, prayer beads, and monastic clothing - as well as new ideas about what objects could do and how they should be treated. Kieschnick argues that even some everyday objects not ordinarily associated with Buddhism - bridges, tea, and the chair - on closer inspection turn out to have been intimately tied to Buddhist ideas and practices. Long after Buddhism ceased to be a major force in India, it continued to influence the development of material culture in China, as it does to the present day. At first glance, this seems surprising. Many Buddhist scriptures and thinkers rejected the material world or even denied its existence with great enthusiasm and sophistication. Others, however, from Buddhist philosophers to ordinary devotees, embraced objects as a means of expressing religious sentiments and doctrines. What was a sad sign of compromise and decline for some was seen as strength and versatility by others. Yielding rich insights through its innovative analysis of particular types of objects, this briskly written book is the first to systematically examine the ambivalent relationship, in the Chinese context, between Buddhism and material culture. John Kieschnick is an associate research fellow at the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, in Taipei. (For this item please quote stock ID 20190) ISBN: 9780691096766

A Few Good Men is a study and translation of The Inquiry of Ugra (Ugrapariprcchâ), one of the most influential Mahâyâna sutras on the bodhisattva path, but also one of the most neglected texts in Western treatments of Buddhism. Published in association with the Institute for the study of Buddhist Traditions, University of Michigan (For this item please quote stock ID 20727) ISBN: 9780824826079

[Indent] Written by one of Japan's foremost contemporary thinkers and scholars, Zen & the Modern World is the third in a series of essay collections on Zen Buddhism as seen in the context of Western thought. As a leading representative of the Kyoto School, which has sought a critical, comparative linking of Eastern and Western thought, Abe has based his approach on constructive, mutually respectful yet critical intellectual interaction and dialogue with some of the leading figures in the West (including Paul Tillich, Hans Küng, and Eugene Borowitz) as well as dozens of colleagues, students, and disciples. Together with the previous volumes, this work examines and exemplifies some key features of the Kyoto School of thought. While the essays presented here should be read in light of the socio-political criticism that has since been lodged against the Kyoto School and, more particularly, its founder Nishida Kitarò, most of them were written prior to the recent discussions and focus on issues of comparative philosophy and religious thought outside the contours of the debate. This should not, however, limit their approach to the earlier historical context. Masao Abe's first book published in English, Zen & Western Thought (edited by William LaFleur), received the American Academy of Religion?s Award for Excellence. Steven Heine is professor of religious studies and history and director of the Institute for Asian Studies, Florida International University. (For this item please quote stock ID 21232) ISBN: 9780824826659

[Indent] The discourse of Buddhist studies has traditionally been structured around texts and nations (the transmission of Buddhism from India to China to Japan). And yet, it is doubtful that these categories reflect in any significant way the organising themes familiar to most Buddhists. It could be argued that cultic practices associated with particular buddhas and bodhisattvas are more representative of the way Buddhists conceive of their relation to tradition. This volume aims to explore this aspect of Buddhism by focusing on one of its most important cults, that of the Buddha Amitabha. Approaching the Land of Bliss is a rich collection of studies of texts and ritual practices devoted to Amitabha, ranging from Tibet to Japan and from early medieval times to the present. It moves beyond the limitations of defining Buddhism in terms of its textual corpus or nation states, opening up the cult of Amitabha in Nepal, Tibet, China, and Taiwan, and uncovering new aspects of Japanese Pure Land. Richard Payne is dean of the Institute of Buddhist Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley. Kenneth Tanaka is professor of Buddhist studies at Musashino Women's University, Tokyo. (For this item please quote stock ID 21234) ISBN: 9780824825782

[Indent] The essays in this volume attempt to place the Chan and Zen tradition in their ritual and cultural contexts, looking at various aspects previously largely (and unduly) ignored. In particular, they show the extent to which these traditions, despite their claim to uniqueness, were indebted to larger trends in East Asian Buddhism, such as the cults of icons, relics and the monastic robe. The book emphasises the importance of ritual for a proper understanding of this allegedly anti-ritualistic form of Buddhism. In doing so, it deconstructs the Chan/Zen 'rhetoric of immediacy' and its ideological underpinnings. Bernard Faure is a Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, Stanford University and Co-Director of the Stanford Center for Buddhist Studies. (For this item please quote stock ID 21662) ISBN: 9780415297486

The tradition of Chan Buddhism - more popularly known as Zen - has been romanticised throughout its history. In this book, John McRae shows how modern critical techniques, supported by recent manuscript discoveries, make possible a more skeptical, accurate, and - ultimately - productive assessment of Chan lineages, teaching, fundraising practices, and social organisation. Synthesising 20 years of scholarship, Seeing Through Zen offers new, accessible analytic models for the interpretation of Chan spiritual practices and religious history. Writing in a lucid and engaging style, McRae traces the emergence of this Chinese spiritual tradition and its early figureheads, Bodhidharma and the 'sixth patriarch' Huineng, through the development of Zen dialogue and koans. In addition to constructing a central narrative for the doctrinal and social evolution of the school, Seeing Through Zen examines the religious dynamics behind Chan's use of iconoclastic stories and myths of patriarchal succession. McRae argues that Chinese Chan is fundamentally genealogical, both in its self-understanding as a school of Buddhism and in the very design of its practices of spiritual cultivation. Furthermore, by forgoing the standard idealisation of Zen spontaneity, we can gain new insight into the religious vitality of the school as it came to dominate the Chinese religious scene, providing a model for all of East Asia - and the modern world. Ultimately, this book aims to change how we think about Chinese Chan by providing new ways of looking at the tradition. John McRae is Associate Professor of East Asian Buddhism in the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University. (For this item please quote stock ID 21768) ISBN: 9780520237988

(For this item please quote stock ID 21798) ISBN: 9780945454144

This book gives a fascinating survey of the early years of Chinese Zen (Chan) Buddhism, staying focused on the movement of Buddhism to the land where Taoism and confucinaism flourished. Wu's survey, combined with interesting translations from these earliest Zen masters, reveals a time of spiritual vibrancy and powerful personalities that help explain the later developments of Zen with which western readers are more familiar. (For this item please quote stock ID 22161) ISBN: 9780941532440

This collection of 28 teachings by Zen Master Hozumi Gensho reads like an eloquent Dharma chapbook complete with original works of Zen calligraphy. Hozumi Roshi gently leads the reader through some of the major themes of Buddhism as presented in the Heart Sutra, the Mumonkan(Gateless Gate), the Hekigan-roku (The Blue Cliff Record), and other Zen texts. Ancient and modern masters are also cited along with passages from the Kansan-shi (Poems from Cold Mountain) and the Nanporoku (a handbook on the Way of Tea). Hozumi Roshi's work has long been available in Japan and Germany. This is the first time his teachings are available in English. These are things we need to know: What is Gratitude, How to Live in the Present, Realising Wisdom, Reverence for Life, Zazen, and The Way of Zen. An elegant Dharma chapbook reveals ancient wisdom for a modern age and this collection of teachings leads the reader through some of the major points of Buddhism. Both ancient and modern masters are cited as ancient wisdom is revealed for a modern age. (For this item please quote stock ID 22178) ISBN: 9781578632251

Simple Zen is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to Zen's history, themes, and uses in our modern Western world. Beginning with a history of Zen from the time of its origin to the present, the book goes on to outline the themes and practices associated with Zen, such as koans, meditation, enlightenment, and ethics. The final section of the book, 'Living Zen', addresses the ways in which Zen can help us to realise a deeper, fuller life though such artistic activities as poetry, brush painting, the martial arts, tea ceremony, and flower arrangement. C. AlexanderSimpkins and Annellen Simpkins, the authors of Simple Zen, Simple Taoism, Simple Confucianism, and Simple Buddhism, are both psychologists who live in San Diego. They have devoted many years to the study of hypnosis, meditation, and martial arts. They contribute regularly to martial arts publications and are also the authors of Principles of Meditation, Living Meditations, Zen Around the World, and Meditation from Thought to Action. (For this item please quote stock ID 22179) ISBN: 9780804831741

First published by Tuttle in 1989 as An Invitation to Practice Zen, it has gone on to sell nearly 20,000 copies. Now, with a new preface and updated instructional photographs, it's perfect to help a new generation of readers looking to learn the basics of zazen, zen meditation. With a concise overview of the basics and clear photographs illustrating the proper positions and postures, this comprehensive guidebook demystifies the age-old practice of zazen and brings its numerous benefits into the daily lives of today's Westerners. Albert Low, a resident of Montreal, Canada, and the director of the Montreal Zen Center, studied and received dharma transmission under the guidance of Roshi Philip Kapleau. Having written and lectured extensively on zen and meditation practices, he is the author of Zen & the Sutras, To Know Yourself, and The Iron Cow of Zen. (For this item please quote stock ID 22185) ISBN: 9780804832113

This book offers a comprehensive guide to the many people, places and things associated with Buddhism in China. These include world famous historical and cultural sites like grottoes with treasure-troves of Buddhist art; sacred Buddhist mountains; temples, pagodas, and monasteries; sutras translated into Chinese from the original Sanskrit and other Indian languages; Buddhist emperors and other prominent Buddhists in Chinese history as well as the many Chinese monks, nuns and lay people who practice Buddhists today. Besides background information on Chinese Buddhist beliefs, history, art, and architecture - that will enhance any visit to a major Buddhist site - the book offers practical features such as a glossary of Chinese Buddhist terms, basic layout of a Buddhist temple, directory of the major temples by province, list of major festivals, and suggested readings. (For this item please quote stock ID 22956) ISBN: 9787119033341

~Intersections: Asian & Pacific American Transcultural Studies

~The bodhisattva Kuan Yin remains one of the most popular figures in Buddhism, loved and worshiped throughout Asia for over a millennium. She arrived in Hawai`i with the first Chinese plantation workers, each of whom would have kept a rice paper print of her over a small altar in his room. In this delightful book, Kathy Phillips and Joseph Singer celebrate Kuan Yin's many incarnations in words and images that exhibit humour, poignancy, and the open-endedness of a koan. An introduction examines Kuan Yin and her place in religion, legend, art, changing social prescriptions for gender, and the everyday lives of Hawai`i's people.

~Kathy Phillips is professor of English at University of Hawai`i. Joseph Singer is a photographer, artist, and writer.

(For this item please quote stock ID 23276) ISBN: 9780824827571

'No words can explain enlightenment', says the seventh-century Zen classic Xin Ming, or Song of Mind, yet, paradoxically, this poem is a masterpiece of expressing the inexpressible. In his commentary on it, Chan Master Sheng Yen takes a practical approach, opening up the language of the Xin Ming to show students how to approach meditation, how to deal with problems that arise in their spiritual practice, and how to accomplish the imperative task of integrating this practice into every aspect of one's life. 'True understanding comes only with direct experience', according to Master Sheng Yen. 'These lectures, the Buddhist sutras, songs, poems, and commentaries are useful only insofar as they encourage you to practice and incorporate the Dharma [teachings] into your daily life'. The book takes the form of a week-long retreat with Master Sheng Yen, with each chapter in the form of an evening talk given on a particular section of the Song of Mind text ? giving this book a far more intimate and accessible feel than most commentaries on Zen texts and creating a feeling of being right there with the master as he brings the text to life. (For this item please quote stock ID 23903) ISBN: 9781590301401

No other text is as important to Buddhists, especially Zen Buddhists, and this translation includes commentary from major Chinese and Japanese historical sources. Zen Buddhism is often said to be a practice of 'mind-to-mind transmission' without reliance on texts - in fact, some great teachers forbid their students to read or write. But Buddhism has also inspired some of the greatest philosophical writings of any religion, and two such works lie at the centre of Zen: The Heart Sutra, which monks recite all over the world, and The Diamond Sutra, said to contain answers to all questions of delusion and dualism. This is the Buddhist teaching on the 'perfection of wisdom' and cuts through all obstacles on the path of practice. As Red Pine explains: 'The Diamond Sutra' may look like a book, but it's really the body of the Buddha. It's also your body, my body, all possible bodies. But it's a body with nothing inside and nothing outside. It doesn't exist in space or time. Nor is it a construct of the mind. It's no mind. 'And yet because it's no mind, it has room for compassion. This book is the offering of no mind, born of compassion for all suffering beings. Of all the sutras that teach this teaching, this is the diamond.' (For this item please quote stock ID 24009) ISBN: 9781582432564

A Chinese-English Dictionary of Buddhist Terms is comprised of more than 16,000 entries that cover terms, allusions, books, monks, relics, rituals, schisms, events, places, Buddhist materials of Mahayana (including Tibetan Buddhism and Japanese Buddhism) and Hinayana Buddhism. Every entry consists of Chinese phrase, English translation and concise Chinese explanation. For important terms, names and allusions, Latin conversions are provided other than Sanskrit or Pali. Latin conversions are also available for Tibetan and Japanese Buddhist terms. One entry may have different Chinese explanations for readers to choose. For ancient monks, temples and places, pinyin spellings are marked additional to Wade-Giles. All entries of this dictionary are collected from ancient literatures and not only reflect multitudinous Buddhism schisms, ancient books, terms and profound doctrines, but also have simple and concise explanations of the meaning and historical background. During nearly two thousand years, Buddhism has merged into Chinese traditional culture, custom and thinking. This dictionary is thus an appropriate reference book for technical researchers, translators and people engaged in industry, agriculture, business, diplomacy, politics and tourism. (For this item please quote stock ID 24566) ISBN: 9787119037868

A Few Good Men is a study and translation of The Inquiry of Ugra (Ugrapariprcchâ), one of the most influential Mahâyâna sutras on the bodhisattva path, but also one of the most neglected texts in Western treatments of Buddhism. Published in association with the Institute for the study of Buddhist Traditions, University of Michigan (For this item please quote stock ID 25164) ISBN: 9780824830038

Engaged Buddhism is the contemporary movement of nonviolent social and political activism found throughout the Buddhist world. Its ethical theory sees the world in terms of cause and effect, a view that discourages its practitioners from becoming adversaries, blaming or condemning the other. Its leaders make some of the most important contributions in the Buddhist world to thinking about issues in political theory, human rights, nonviolence, and social justice. Being Benevolence provides for the first time a rich overview of the main ideas and arguments of prominent Engaged Buddhist thinkers and activists on a variety of questions: What kind of political system should modern Asian states have? What are the pros and cons of Western 'liberalism'? Can Buddhism support the idea of human rights? Can there ever be a nonviolent nation-state? It identifies the roots of Engaged Buddhist social ethics in such traditional Buddhist concepts and practices as interdependence, compassion, and meditation, and shows how these are applied to particular social and political issues. It illuminates the movement's metaphysical views on the individual and society and goes on to examine how Engaged Buddhists respond to fundamental questions in political theory concerning the proper balance between the individual and society. The second half of the volume focuses on applied social-political issues: human rights, nonviolence, and social justice. Sallie B. King is professor of philosophy and religion at James Madison University. (For this item please quote stock ID 25231) ISBN: 9780824828646

The wisdom of Chinese classics in comics! Tsai Chih Chung's books have sold over 40 million copies in 44 countries around the world. (For this item please quote stock ID 25745) ISBN: 9787801885289

The issue of sinification - the manner and extent to which Buddhism and Chinese culture were transformed through their mutual encounter and dialogue - has dominated the study of Chinese Buddhism for much of the past century. Robert Sharf opens this important and far-reaching book by raising a host of historical and hermeneutical problems with the encounter paradigm and the master narrative on which it is based. Coming to Terms with Chinese Buddhism is, among other things, an extended reflection on the theoretical foundations and conceptual categories that underpin the study of medieval Chinese Buddhism. Sharf draws his argument in part from a meticulous historical, philological, and philosophical analysis of the Treasure Store Treatise (Pao-tsang lun), an eighth-century Buddhist-Taoist work apocryphally attributed to the fifth-century master Seng-chao (374-414). In the process of coming to terms with this recondite text, Sharf ventures into all manner of subjects bearing on our understanding of medieval Chinese Buddhism, from the evolution of T'ang ?gentry Taoism? to the pivotal role of image veneration and the problematic status of Chinese Tantra. The volume includes a complete annotated translation of the Treasure Store Treatise, accompanied by the detailed exegesis of dozens of key terms and concepts. Robert H. Sharf is associate professor of Buddhist studies at the University of Michigan. Studies in East Asian Buddhism, No. 14 Published in association with the Kuroda Institute ?Robert Sharf's study of the Treasure Store Treatise will remain for many years to come a basic source of theoretical guidance and practical help for any scholar or student wishing to confront the multifaceted and interactive nature of China's major philosophical and religious traditions.? - Timothy Barrett, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (For this item please quote stock ID 26047) ISBN: 9780824830281

Jean Francois-Revel, a pillar of French intellectual life in our time, became world famous for his challenges to both Communism and Christianity. Twenty-seven years ago, his son, Matthieu Ricard, gave up a promising career as a scientist to study Tibetan Buddhism -- not as a detached observer but by immersing himself in its practice under the guidance of its greatest living masters. Meeting in an inn overlooking Katmandu, these two profoundly thoughtful men explored the questions that have occupied humankind throughout its history. Does life have meaning? What is consciousness? Is man free? What is the value of scientific and material progress? Why is there suffering, war, and hatred? Their conversation is not merely abstract: they ask each other questions about ethics, rights, and responsibilities, about knowledge and belief, and they discuss frankly the differences in the way each has tried to make sense of his life. Utterly absorbing, inspiring, and accessible, this remarkable dialogue engages East with West, ideas with life, and science with the humanities, providing wisdom on how to enrich the way we live our lives. (For this item please quote stock ID 27483) ISBN: 9780805211030

The wisdom of Chinese classics in comics! Tsai Chih Chung's books have sold over 40 million copies in 44 countries around the world. (For this item please quote stock ID 27653) ISBN: 9787801887153

This book gives a brief introduction to the Chinese Buddhist beliefs history, sects, art, architecture, pagodas, monasteries, and sutras translated into Chinese from the original Sanskrit and other Indian languages. It also describes the four sacred Buddhist mountains and five major grottoes travelers may wish to see, the organization of the Buddhist monasteries and life in the cloisters, Buddhist festivals and major Buddhist activities, as well as relations between Chinese and foreign Buddhist societies and organizations. Written in a lively and conversational style, with accurate historical references and fascinating legends and stories, this book is not only suitable for tourists at home and abroad, but also worth reading by anyone interested in the past and present of Buddhism in China. (For this item please quote stock ID 27937) ISBN: 9787119044903

(For this item please quote stock ID 28102) ISBN: 9787561333068

(For this item please quote stock ID 28493) ISBN: 9787506811095

(For this item please quote stock ID 29293) ISBN: 9787500118275

(For this item please quote stock ID 29297) ISBN: 9787500118183

Among the most important texts of Zen literature is the Lin-chi lu, which details the insights and exploits of the great ninth-century Chinese Zen master Lin-chi, one of the most highly regarded of the T´ang period masters. PEN Translation Prize-winner Burton Watson presents an eloquent translation of this seminal classic for modern readers - the only English-language version of the Lin-chi lu available. Lin-chi´s style of Zen - encouraging the use of unorthodox teaching methods and stressing the importance of koan study - is well known to Western readers and scholars, and is beautifully rendered in Watson´s translation. The work is an exacting depiction of Lin-chi´s words and actions, describing the Zen master´s life and teachings and including a number of his sermons, long recognised for their brisk, evocative language. Watson contributes a lucid introduction, as well as a glossary and notes. (For this item please quote stock ID 20094) ISBN: 9780231114851

Here are the famous sutras, or sermons, of the Buddha; the gathas, or hymns; the intriguing philosophical puzzles known as koan; and the dharanis, or invocations to expel evil spirits. Included also are the recorded conversations of the great Buddhist monks ? intimate dialogues on subjects of momentous importance. In addition to the written selections, all of them translated by Dr. Suzuki, there are reproductions of many Buddhist drawings and paintings, including religious statues found in Zen temples, each with an explanation of its significance, and the great series of allegorical paintings ?The Ten Oxherding Pictures." (For this item please quote stock ID 24249) ISBN: 9780802130655

~Buddhist steles represent an important subset of early Chinese Buddhist art that flourished during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period (386-581). More than two hundred Chinese Buddhist steles are known to have survived. Their brilliant imagery has long captivated scholars, yet until now the Buddhist stele as a unique art form has received little scholarly attention. Dorothy Wong rectifies that insufficiency by providing in this well-illustrated volume the first comprehensive investigation of this group of Buddhist monuments.

~She traces the ancient roots of the Chinese stele tradition and investigates the process by which Chinese steles were adapted for Buddhist use. She arranges the known corpus of Buddhist steles into broad chronological and regional groupings and analyses not only their form and content but also the nexus of complex issues surrounding this art form - from cultural symbolism to the interrelations between religious doctrine and artistic expression, economic production, patronage, and the synthesis of native and foreign art styles. In her analysis of Buddhism's dialogue with native traditions, Wong demonstrates how the Chinese artistic idiom planted the seeds for major achievements in figural and landscape arts in the ensuing Sui and Tang periods.

~Dorothy Wong is associate professor of East Asian art at the University of Virginia. (For this item please quote stock ID 23316) ISBN: 9780824827830

One of the greatest works created by any culture and overwhelmingly the most influential of all Tibetan Buddhist texts in the West, The Tibetan Book of the Dead has had a number of distinguished translations, but strangely all of these have been partial abridgements. Now the entire text has not only been made available in English but in a translation of quite remarkable clarity and beauty. A comprehensive guide to living and dying The Tibetan Book of the Dead contains exquisitely written guidance and practices related to transforming our experience in the daily life, on the processes of dying and the after-death state, and on how to help those who are dying. As originally intended this is as much a work for the living, as it is for those who wish to think beyond a mere conventional lifetime to a vastly greater and grander cycle. (For this item please quote stock ID 29812) ISBN: 9780140455298

The world's premier authority on religious traditions and his successor present a concise and timely guide to the history, teachings and practice of Buddhism. (For this item please quote stock ID 19714) ISBN: 9780060506964

This is a beautifully written account of Sun Shuyun's journey to retrace the steps of one of the most popular figures in Chinese history - the monk Xuanzang, who travelled to India searching for true Buddhism. Xuanzang should be known as one of the world's great heroes. In the eighth century, he crossed 110 kingdoms in 18 years to reach India from China. On his return he brought true Buddhism to China. He opened up the east and west of Asia to each other - and to us. His own book provides a unique record of the history and culture of his time. Yet he is unknown to most of us and even to most Chinese. Sun Shuyun, herself brought up in China, was determined to follow in his fotsteps, discover more about Xuanzang and restore his fame. She retraced his journey from China to India and back. A man of great faith and determination, Xuanzang won the hearts of kings and robbers with his teaching, his charm and his indomitable will. Against all odds he persuaded the Confucian emperors to allow Buddhism to flourish in China. At the heart of the book lies Sun Shuyun's own personal journey towards understanding the Buddhist faith of her grandmother, recognising also the passionate idealism of the communist beliefs of her own family and discovering her own beliefs. (For this item please quote stock ID 20001) ISBN: 9780007129737

Volume One of Classics of Buddhism and Zen contains teachings predominantly from the Chinese Zen (Chan) tradition, including the writings of revered Chinese masters such as Pai-chang, founder of the Chan monastic tradition; Huang-po, one of the forefathers of the Lin-chi-tsung or Rinzai school; Foyan, the great master of the twelfth-century Chinese Zen "renaissance"; and many others.

The volume includes:
Zen Lessons: The Art of Leadership
This guide to enlightened conduct for people in positions of authority is based on the teachings of several great Zen masters of China.

Zen Essence: The Science of Freedom
Drawn from the records of the great Chinese Zen masters of the Tang and Song dynasties, this collection represents the most open and direct forms of instruction in the entire Zen canon.

The Five Houses of Zen
These writings are widely considered to be preeminent among Zen literature.

Minding Mind: A Course in Basic Meditation
The meditation instructions in this book focus on attaining a state of true objectivity that enables the practitioner to use all other forms of meditation freely and consciously, without becoming fixated or obsessed.

Instant Zen
Presented here are the teachings of Foyan, who offers simple exercises in attention and thought designed to lead to insight into the real nature of self.

(For this item please quote stock ID 31623) ISBN: 9781590302187

First to articulate the meditation method known to contemporary Zen practitioners as shikantaza ('just sitting') Chinese Zen master Hongzhi is one of the most influential poets in all of Zen literature. Though he lived in the 12th century, his ideas and words resound throughout modern Zen teachings. Now, this revised translation of Hongzhi?s poetry, the only such volume available in English, treats readers to his profound wisdom and beautiful literary gift. In addition to dozens of Hongzhi?s religious poems, translator Daniel Leighton offers an extended introduction, placing the master?s work in its historical context, as well as lineage charts and other information about the Chinese influence on Japanese Soto Zen. No Zen library would be complete without this definitive collection of Hongzhi?s work on its shelves. Taigen Daniel Leighton, a translator and teacher, is the author of Bodhisattva Archetypes: Classic Buddhist Guides to Awakening & Their Modern Expression and is the translator of Dogen?s The Wholehearted Way. He teaches at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, the San Francisco Zen Centre, and the Green Gulch Retreat Center, among other places. (For this item please quote stock ID 22184) ISBN: 9780804832403

A new translation of an anthology of thirteenth-century Zen stories, with illuminating comments by a Zen master. This translation, regarded as the most accessible of classical koan studies, is distinguished in that it comes directly from the Chinese and not derivative Japanese paraphrases. (For this item please quote stock ID 5887) ISBN: 9781556432477

'This erudite, well-written, highly instructive, and constantly interesting work ... covers a broad spectrum, including Dignaga, Tantrism, and Ch'an. A single focus is maintained, however, by Kalupahana's insistence on the non-absolutistic, non-foundationalist, non-essentialist character of the Buddha's philosophy, set off against the absolutism of previous Indian philosophy and against the recurring revivals of abolutism within the Buddhist tradition itself' - Japanese Journal of Religious Studies (For this item please quote stock ID 24807) ISBN: 9780824814021

?This book exemplifies the best sort of work being done on Chinese religions today. Christine Mollier expertly draws not only on published canonical sources but also on manuscript and visual material, as well as worldwide modern scholarship, to give us the most sophisticated book-length study yet produced on the textual relations between the Buddhist and Taoist traditions. She pushes past the tired, vague, and rather innocent-sounding trope of ?influence? to pinpoint much more complex?and fascinating?processes of textual repackaging, hybridization, adaptation, appropriation, reframing, pirating, remodeling, and transposing. Throughout, the urgent concerns of medieval Chinese people?life, health, protection, salvation?are sensitively and elegantly evoked. Anyone interested in Chinese religions, in the ways in which religious texts are formed, and in cross-religious interactions should want to read this book.??Robert Ford Campany, University of Southern California (For this item please quote stock ID 29035) ISBN: 9780824831691

In spite of the common view of Buddhism as nondogmatic and tolerant, the historical record preserves many examples of Buddhist thinkers and movements that were banned as heretical or subversive. The San-chieh (Three Levels) was a popular and influential Chinese Buddhist movement during the Sui and T'ang periods, counting powerful statesmen, imperial princes, and even an empress, Empress Wu, among its patrons. In spite, or perhaps precisely because, of its proximity to power, the San-chieh movement ran afoul of the authorities and its teachings and texts were officially proscribed numerous times over a several-hundred-year history. Because of these suppressions San-chieh texts were lost and little information about its teachings or history is available. The present work, the first English study of the San-chieh movement, uses manuscripts discovered at Tun-huang to examine the doctrine and institutional practices of this movement in the larger context of Mahayana doctrine and practice. By viewing San-chieh in the context of Mahayana Buddhism, Hubbard reveals it to be far from heretical and thereby raises important questions about orthodoxy and canon in Buddhism. He shows that many of the hallmark ideas and practices of Chinese Buddhism find an early and unique expression in the San-chieh texts. Jamie Hubbard is Yehan Numata Lecturer in Buddhist Studies at Smith College. Asia/Japan/Religion/History/Buddhism Series: Nanzan Library of Asian Religion and Culture Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, Nanzan University (For this item please quote stock ID 16903) ISBN: 9780824823450

Often appearing in a luxurious repose and with a gracious air, Kuan Yin is one of the most worshipped beings in the world of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism. Known as a bodhisattva, or one who has sworn to enlighten others before ascending to heaven, she answers prayers, petitions, and cries for help far and wide. This box becomes your personal altar, featuring a figurine of the 'Bodhisattva of Compassion' and a beautifully illustrated book revealing her fascinating history, the miracles she has performed, and instructions on how to seek guidance from Kuan Yin yourself. (For this item please quote stock ID 25969) ISBN: 9780811841054

In an attempt to reconstruct an elusive aspect of the medieval Chinese imagination, The Eminent Monk examines biographies of Chinese Buddhist monks, from the uncompromising ascetic to the unfathomable wonder-worker. (For this item please quote stock ID 8854) ISBN: 9780824818418

(For this item please quote stock ID 12859) ISBN: 9780700701988

(For this item please quote stock ID 15890) ISBN: 9780813365992

'A rich and nuanced examination of medieval Chinese Buddhist thanatonic practices ... While informed by the best of contemporary theory, Teiser?s book is a pleasure to read, being lucidly, and in places elegantly, written. Bridging area studies and the history of religions, Teiser offers an exceptional exploration of the concerns, practices, and beliefs of ninth- and 10th-century Chinese Buddhists' - Journal of Religion, January 1997. 'An exemplary work that can be recommended to all students of the religion, culture, and social history of medieval China' - China Review International, Spring 1997. 'A marvelous study of an important text - a landmark in philological and interpretive excellence' - Asian Folklore Studies 56 (1997). (For this item please quote stock ID 21152) ISBN: 9780824827762

(For this item please quote stock ID 13536) ISBN: 9780824815417

Jiuhua Mountain rises in Chizhou Prefecture in the southern part of Anhui Province. To its north is the Yangtse River, to its south is the Huangshan Mountain and to its east is the Taiping Lake. Jiuhua Mountain is one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains in China, along with Wutai Mountain, Emei Mountain and Putuo Mountain. Ancient temples and stunning scenery attract both Buddhists and tourists to this mountain, and today it is a key tourist destination. Jiuhua Mountain is made up of peaks of various heights and hills of very different sizes. Precipices, stone caves, waterfalls and giant rocks of grotesque shapes are found its peaks. This bilingual (Chinese-English) book pays homage to a sanctuary, which the great Tang poet Li Bai described as 'exquisite' and the reformer of the Song dynasty Wang Anshi praised as 'imposing'. Many photographs of temples and ceremonies are included. Bilingual text. (For this item please quote stock ID 10162) ISBN: 9787505203143

Zen Buddhism is a spiritual practice that influences not only how we view ourselves and one another, but also the aesthetic of our environment. This volume places the wisdom of Zen Buddhism in a modern, everyday context, showing how Zen can shape every aspect of lifestyle from home interiors to garden design. It explores Zen's role in nurturing creativity, and the way in which Zen's timeless, spiritual insights enhance the well-being of those who follow it. The photographs seek to embody the Zen experience, encouraging us to see beyond the surface, and to have a deeper awareness of our environment's natural beauty. The book is designed for anyone who wishes to introduce simplicity, calm and peace into their live and surroundings. The aesthetic it embraces is not about new possessions or interior design. Instead, it invites the reader to open up to every moment, so that we arrive at our true nature and transform ordinary experiences into something special. (For this item please quote stock ID 14947) ISBN: 9780711215894

The Japanese Zen garden is a triumph of simplicity, a space where balance is emphasised to create a sanctuary of stillness and meditation. This book shows readers how to achieve that balance, and turn an ordinary garden from something to look at to an experience. Here, Jenny Hendy shows how to create a garden with different energies, from the soothing to the invigorating; how to incorporate different styles of gardens, from rock and gravel to water gardens, from wildlife gardens to a woodland style. Exploring the basics of both planting and design, this book helps readers lay out a landscape that will have something for all seasons and all senses. Beautifully illustrated with helpful colour drawings, Zen in Your Garden is a perfect book for anyone seeking to create a sacred space. Jenny Hendy is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in many different magazines and in book form, including Perennials, The Gardeners Palette and Balcony & Roof Gardens. Ms. Hendy has a degree in botany and a special interest in Eastern philosophy and its influence on gardening. (For this item please quote stock ID 22172) ISBN: 9780804832892

(For this item please quote stock ID 29422) ISBN: 9787561528235

The Venerable Master Taixu (1890-1947) is the most important and controversial Chinese Buddhist reformer of the twentieth century. Viewed as dangerously rash by conservative Buddhists, irrelevant by secular humanists, and spiritually misguided by Christian missionaries, Taixu was nevertheless committed to forging a socially engaged form of Buddhism and to organising a Buddhist mission in the West. His bold and inventive ?Buddhist revolution? continues to shape aspects of a revitalised Buddhism in East Asia and around the world. The present volume is the first major study in English to focus on the charismatic reformer and his teachings and provides a comprehensive and absorbing interpretation of Taixu?s aims and the divisive controversies that surrounded him. This nuanced work is richly documented with quotations from Taixu?s own writings and from various Chinese intellectuals and evangelists of the period. Don A. Pittman is dean and professor of history of religion at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (For this item please quote stock ID 15998) ISBN: 9780824822316

The Origins of Buddhist Monastic Codes in China contains the first complete translation of China's earliest and most influential monastic code. The twelfth-century text Chanyuan qinggui (Rules of Purity for the Chan Monastery) provides us with a wealth of detail on all aspects of life in public Buddhist monasteries during the Sung (960-1279). Part One consists of Yifa's overview of the development of monastic regulations in Chinese Buddhist history, a biography of the text's author, and an analysis of the social and cultural context of premodern Chinese Buddhist monasticism. Of particular importance are the interconnections made between Chan traditions and the dual heritages of Chinese culture and Indian Buddhist Vinaya. Although much of the text's source material is traced directly to the Vinayas and the works of the Vinaya advocate Daoan (312-385) and the Lu master Daoxuan (596-667), the Chanyuan qinggui includes elements foreign to the original Vinaya texts-elements incorporated from Chinese governmental policies and traditional Chinese etiquette. Following the translator's overview is a complete translation of the text, extensively annotated. Yifa is currently on the faculty of the Department of Religious Studies at Hsi Lai University, California; abbess of the Greater Boston Buddhist Culture Center; and vice president of Deer Park Initiative, a nonsectarian Buddhist foundation. (For this item please quote stock ID 18075) ISBN: 9780824824945

'A milestone' - Acta Orientalia 62 (2001). 'I know of no edited volume of as consistently excellent scholarship as this one ... Fortunately, the standard of excellence maintained by authors and editors is mirrored by the book's flawless production ... A remarkable achievement!' - Journal of Asian Studies, February 2001. 'Anyone interested in Chinese Buddhism will profit from this excellent book' - China Review International, Spring 2001. The Sung Dynasty (960-1279) has long been recognised as a major watershed in Chinese history. Although there are recent major monographs on Sung society, government, literature, Confucian thought, and popular religion, the contribution of Buddhism to Sung social and cultural life has been all but ignored. Indeed, the study of Buddhism during the Sung has lagged behind that of other periods of Chinese history. One reason for the neglect of this important aspect of Sung society is undoubtedly the tenacity of the view that the Sung marked the beginning of an inexorable decline of Buddhism in China that extended down through the remainder of the imperial era. As this book attests, however, new research suggests that, far from signaling a decline, the Sung was a period of great efflorescence in Buddhism. This volume is the first extended scholarly treatment of Buddhism in the Sung to be published in a Western language. It focuses largely on elite figures, elite traditions, and interactions among Buddhists and literati, although some of the book's essays touch on ways in which elite traditions both responded to and helped shape more popular forms of lay practice and piety. All of the chapters in one way or another deal with the two most important elite traditions within Sung Buddhism: Ch'an and T'ien-t'ai. Whereas most previous discussions of Buddhism in the Sung have tended to concentrate on Ch'an, the present volume is notable for giving T'ien-t'ai its due. By presenting a broader and more contextualised picture of these two traditions as they developed in the Sung, this work amply reveals the vitality of Buddhism in the Sung as well as its embeddedness in the social and intellectual life of the time. Peter N. Gregory, professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Illinois from 1984 to 1999, is currently the Jill Ker Conway Professor of Buddhist Studies at Smith College. He is also president and executive director of the Kuroda Institute for the Study of Buddhism. Daniel A. Getz, Jr., is assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Bradley University. (For this item please quote stock ID 20284) ISBN: 9780824826819

(For this item please quote stock ID 16965) ISBN: 9781863027465

The Origins of Buddhist Monastic Codes in China contains the first complete translation of China's earliest and most influential monastic code. The twelfth-century text Chanyuan qinggui (Rules of Purity for the Chan Monastery) provides us with a wealth of detail on all aspects of life in public Buddhist monasteries during the Sung (960-1279).

Part One consists of Yifa's overview of the development of monastic regulations in Chinese Buddhist history, a biography of the text's author, and an analysis of the social and cultural context of premodern Chinese Buddhist monasticism. Of particular importance are the interconnections made between Chan traditions and the dual heritages of Chinese culture and Indian Buddhist Vinaya. Although much of the text's source material is traced directly to the Vinayas and the works of the Vinaya advocate Daoan (312-385) and the Lu master Daoxuan (596-667), the Chanyuan qinggui includes elements foreign to the original Vinaya texts-elements incorporated from Chinese governmental policies and traditional Chinese etiquette. Following the translator's overview is a complete translation of the text, extensively annotated.

Yifa is currently on the faculty of the Department of Religious Studies at Hsi Lai University, California; abbess of the Greater Boston Buddhist Culture Center; and vice president of Deer Park Initiative, a nonsectarian Buddhist foundation.

(For this item please quote stock ID 32175) ISBN: 9780824824945

In the early part of this century, the discovery of a walled-up cave in northwest China led to the retrieval of a lost early Ch'an (Zen) literature of the T'ang dynasty (618-907). One of the recovered Zen texts was a seven-piece collection, the Bodhidharma Anthology. Of the numerous texts attributed to Bodhidharma, this anthology is the only one generally believed to contain authentic Bodhidharma material. Jeffrey L. Broughton provides a reliable annotated translation of the Bodhidharma Anthology along with a detailed study of its nature, content, and background. His work is especially important for its rendering of the three Records, which contain some of the earliest Zen dialogues and constitute the real beginnings of Zen literature. The vivid dialogues and sayings of Master Yuan, a long-forgotten member of the Bodhidharma circle, are the hallmark of the Records. Master Yuan consistently criticizes reliance on the Dharma, on teachers, on meditative practice, and on scripture, all of which lead to self-deception and confusion, he says. According to Master Yuan, if one has spirit and does not seek anything, including the teachings of Buddhism, then one will attain the quietude of liberation. The boldness in Yuan's utterances prefigures much of the full-blown Zen tradition we recognise today. Broughton utilises a Tibetan translation of the Bodhidharma Anthology as an informative gloss on the Chinese original. Placing the anthology within the context of the Tun-huang Zen manuscripts as a whole, he proposes a new approach to the study of Zen, one that concentrates on literary history, a genealogy of texts rather than the usual genealogy of masters. (For this item please quote stock ID 4709) ISBN: 9780520219724

[Indent] Zen Sand is a classic collection of verses aimed at aiding practitioners of kôan meditation to negotiate the difficult relationship between insight and language. As such it represents a major contribution to both Western Zen practice and English-language Zen scholarship. (For this item please quote stock ID 20726) ISBN: 9780824822842

'A veritable treasure trove ... Both demanding and tremendously rewarding...The book is of high scholarly standard, but ... is clear, precise and a pleasure to read - and is certainly accessible to interested laymen. It cannot be recommended highly enough' - The Middle Way, November 1993. 'Each chapter in this volume is sophisticated, tightly argued, and well documented ... An important contribution to the literature on Buddhist meditation' - Journal of Asian Studies, 1988. Peter Gregory, professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Illinois from 1984 to 1999, is currently the Jill Ker Conway Professor of Buddhist Studies at Smith College. He is also president and executive director of the Kuroda Institute for the Study of Buddhism. (For this item please quote stock ID 7589) ISBN: 9780824810887

Buddhism in Taiwan is the first work in a Western language to examine the institutional and political history of Chinese Buddhism in Taiwan. Tracing Buddhism's development on the island from Qing times through the late 1980s, it seeks to shed light on the ways in which changing social circumstances have impacted Buddhist thought and practice. (For this item please quote stock ID 8639) ISBN: 9780824820619

How Zen Became Zen takes a novel approach to understanding one of the most crucial developments in Zen Buddhism: the dispute over the nature of enlightenment that erupted within the Chinese Chan (Zen) school in the twelfth century. The famous Linji (Rinzai) Chan master Dahui Zonggao (1089?1163) railed against ?heretical silent illumination Chan? and strongly advocated kanhua (koan) meditation as an antidote. Published in association with the Kuroda Institute (For this item please quote stock ID 29034) ISBN: 9780824835088

Meticulous ... the most comprehensive history of early Ch?an Buddhism currently available in any Western language. (For this item please quote stock ID 32872) ISBN: 9780824810566

"This English rendering has been done by Ms. Boin-Webb with the same deftness, accuracy, and attention to detail seen in her translations of Lamotte?s L?Enseignement de Vimalakirti and his Histoire du bouddhisme indien, des origines a l?ere Saka. . . . In French this book was a gem of thoroughgoing and wholly admirable scholarship. It is no less so in its English setting." -Journal of the American Oriental Society
The Suramgamasamadhisutra is an early Mahayana Buddhist scripture. Within a narrative framework provided by a dialogue between the Buddha and the bodhisattva Drdhamati, it airs central issues of Mahayana Buddhism by means of philosophical discussion, edifying anecdote, marvelous feat, and drama. At its core is a description of the seeming conversion of Mara, the embodiment of all malign tendencies that obstruct advancement, and the prediction that he too will become a Buddha.
Samadhi (concentration) is understood to denote the altered mental states attainable through Buddhist meditation techniques, in particular that in which discursive thought is allayed and the mind is calm and capable of sustained awareness of a single object.
The present volume comprises the first full English translation of Kumarajiva?s Chinese translation of the Suramgamasamadhisutra, with an extensive explanatory introduction and annotations. Etienne Lamotte?s French version appeared in 1965 and now Sara Boin-Webb?s English rendering of this work gives the English-speaking world access both to an important Buddhist scripture and a classic work of Buddhist studies scholarship.
(For this item please quote stock ID 32875) ISBN: 9780824833534

(For this item please quote stock ID 16044) ISBN: 9780824803926

~With more than 150 temples in 30 countries, Foguangshan has developed over the last 35 years into one of the world's largest and most influential Chinese Buddhist movements. The result of two years of fieldwork in Foguangshan temples in Taiwan, the U.S., Australia, and South Africa, this volume is an unprecedented examination of the inner workings of a dynamic and innovative religious movement.

~Based on direct observations, private interviews, and careful textual and historical analysis, Stuart Chandler looks at the challenges faced by Foguangshan's leader, Master Xingyun, and his followers as they try to adhere to traditional practices and values while tapping into the advantages afforded by modern, global society. Foguangshan's slogans ('Humanistic Buddhism' and 'Establishing a Pure Land on Earth') are placed in historical context to reveal their role in shaping the group's attitudes toward capitalism, women's rights, and democracy, as well as toward the traditional Chinese virtue of filial piety and the Chinese Buddhist concept of 'links of affinity' (jieyuan).

~Chandler goes on to analyse Foguangshan's educational system and its understanding of how precepts relate to contemporary problems such as abortion and capital punishment. The book's final chapters consider the cultural and political dynamics at play in Foguangshan's ambitious attempt to spread Humanistic Buddhism around the world and how its followers have reinterpreted the Buddhist ideal of homelessness to take advantage of the spiritual potentialities of people's lives as global citizens.

~'Establishing a Pure Land on Earth is a highly engaging and in-depth study of one of the most important Buddhist movements of the 20th century. The scholarship is original and sound and the writing style clear and lively. Chandler focuses on issues of modernisation and globalisation, but he also deals with issues of interest to everyone who studies religious movements' - Barbara Reed, St. Olaf's College.

~Stuart Chandler is assistant professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. (For this item please quote stock ID 22639) ISBN: 9780824827465

Through a highly sensitive exploration of key concepts and metaphors, Bernard Faure guides Western readers in appreciating some of the more elusive aspects of the Chinese tradition of Chan Buddhism and its outgrowth, Japanese Zen. He focuses on Chan's insistence on 'immediacy' - its denial of all traditional mediations, including scripture, ritual, good works - and yet shows how these mediations have always been present in Chan. Given this apparent duplicity in its discourse, Faure reveals how Chan structures its practice and doctrine on such mental paradigms as mediacy/immediacy, sudden/gradual, and centre/margins. 'Not since D. T. Suzuki (1870-1966) has any responsible scholar attempted in English to synthesise such a broad stretch of the history of Zen Buddhism as has Bernard Faure ... [The book] offers the best narration in English of the role that magicians, healers, jesters, relics, mummies, dreams, funerals, deities, and mundane rituals play in a tradition that lays claim to emptiness' - Stephen F. Teiser, Journal of Religion. 'Readers will be rewarded by truly insightful vistas of bottomless chasms and distant peaks, flowering puns and mutant etymologies, stunning flights of free association, and encounters with many species of exotic facts, not to mention the tracks and droppings of latter-day giants of social-historical theory' - Monumenta Nipponica (For this item please quote stock ID 6857) ISBN: 9780691029634

Beginning in the nineteenth century and continuing to the present day, both practitioners and admirers of Buddhism have proclaimed its compatibility with science. In "Buddhism and Science", Donald S. Lopez Jr. explores how and why these two seemingly disparate modes of understanding the inner and outer universe have been so persistently linked. He argues that by presenting an ancient Asian tradition as compatible with - and even anticipating - scientific discoveries, European enthusiasts and Asian elites have sidestepped debates on the relevance of religion in the modern world that began in the nineteenth century and that still flare today. As new discoveries continue to reshape our understanding of mind and matter, "Buddhism and Science" will be indispensable reading for those fascinated by religion, science, and their often vexed relation.

(For this item please quote stock ID 33026) ISBN: 9780226493190

零距离感受佛教文明全方位接触真实历史，文化的力量和图画的色彩一起流淌，思想和文字变得亲切轻松。 　　本书作为“彩色人文故事”系列丛书的一种，力图通过一种全新视角来解读佛教的产生及在中国的弘扬。著者在参考了大量历史文献的基础上，从历史、文化和艺术等多种希腊语来探索佛教，以故事形式讲述佛教，使读者真切感受佛教文化的博大精深。同时，本书通过新颖独到的版式设计和科学简明的编排体例将流畅生动的叙述文字和丰富精美的珍贵插图有机结合，将一幅瑰丽神奇的佛教文化地图立体、直观地展现在读者面前，使读者在轻松获取知识的同时，获得更为广阔的文化视野、审美感受、想象力和愉快体验。 (For this item please quote stock ID 25400) ISBN: 9787506812818

'Professor Kenneth Ch'en brings a precious contribution to Buddhistic studies with this book...Not only does it fill an important gap in research, but it is composed and written in a masterly manner' - Pacific Affairs Subject Areas: >Mind, Body, Spirit >Asian & Asian American Studies >Religion (For this item please quote stock ID 4985) ISBN: 9780691000152

The Origins of Buddhist Monastic Codes in China contains the first complete translation of China’s earliest and most influential monastic code. The twelfth-century text Chanyuan qinggui (Rules of Purity for the Chan Monastery) provides a wealth of detail on all aspects of life in public Buddhist monasteries during the Sung (960-1279).

Part One consists of Yifa’s overview of the development of monastic regulations in Chinese Buddhist history, a biography of the text’s author, and an analysis of the social and cultural context of premodern Chinese Buddhist monasticism. Of particular importance are the interconnections made between Chan traditions and the dual heritages of Chinese culture and Indian Buddhist Vinaya. Although much of the text’s source material is traced directly to the Vinayas and the works of the Vinaya advocate Daoan (312-385) and the Lü master Daoxuan (596-667), the Chanyuan qinggui includes elements foreign to the original Vinaya texts-elements incorporated from Chinese governmental policies and traditional Chinese etiquette. Following the translator’s overview is a complete translation of the text, extensively annotated.

Yifa was ordained at Fo Guang Shan, Taiwan, in 1959 and holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Yale University. She is founder of the Woodenfish Project, editor-in-chief of Buddha’s Light Edition English Sutra Translation Series, and was formerly chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of the West, Rosemead, California.

(For this item please quote stock ID 33356) ISBN: 9780824834258

An introduction to Chinese Buddhism in China: the origin, the development, and how it influenced Chinese culture. (For this item please quote stock ID 26210) ISBN: 9787508508405

The wisdom of Chinese classics in comics! Tsai Chih Chung's books have sold over 40 million copies in 44 countries around the world. (For this item please quote stock ID 27654) ISBN: 9787801887160

Taken together, the Diamond Sutra and the Sutra of Hui-Neng present the central teachings of Zen and are essential reading for all students of Buddhism. The Diamond Sutra, composed in India in the fourth century CE, is one of the most treasured works of Buddhist literature. The Sutra of Hui-Neng, also known as the Platform Sutra, contains the autobiography of a pivotal figure in Zen history and some of the most profound passages of Zen literature. Hui-Neng (638–713) was the sixth patriarch of Zen in China, but is often regarded as the true father of the Zen tradition. A poor, illiterate woodcutter, he is said to have attained enlightenment upon hearing a recitation of the Diamond Sutra. (For this item please quote stock ID 23728) ISBN: 9781590301371

If you haven’t heard the sound of one hand clapping ... don’t worry. A guide to Zen exists for the uninitiated. The authors of Understanding Zen believe that enlightenment can and should be accessible to everyone. Their generous book lifts the veils of mystery and esoterica which have enshrouded Zen, revealing the luminous face of a rational, simple and clear profundity which has drawn millions of people to belief. They offer the rational and easily understandable premises of Zen to every individual directly, unfastening the hold of intermediary gurus and masters on its wisdom. The result is a gift to Westerners seeking to penetrate the mystery of Zen. Benjamin Radcliff is a professor in the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Notre Dame. Amy Radcliff has worked as a policy analyst for a variety of universities and municipalities. She is currently at the University of Illinois-Urbana. (For this item please quote stock ID 22174) ISBN: 9780804818087

'A new translation of any of the classics . . . from the hand of Burton Watson is an event to be welcomed with gratitude.' - Journal of Asian Studies Since its first appearance in China in the third century CE, the Lotus Sutra has been the object of intense veneration among generations of Buddhists in China, Korea, and Japan, as well as other parts of the world. It is often considered the fundamental Mahayana Buddhist sutra, has attracted more commentary than any other Buddhist scripture, and has had a profound impact on the great works of Japanese and Chinese literature. No one can understand East Asia without some knowledge of its teachings. This abridged edition of Burton Watson´s acclaimed translation contains this sutra's essential chapters, derived from the most authoritative and felicitous version of the sutra, translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in 406 by the great Central Asian scholar-monk Kumarajiva. The Essential Lotus refines the focus from the sprawling magnitude of the original to the chapters that expound its core ideas and have been the most influential in the later development of Buddhist and East Asian thought. From the famous parable of the burning house to the firm assertion that women can attain the highest enlightenment, from a sermon preached in midair around a miraculously floating jewel-adorned tower to the principle that the Buddha is not to be delimited in time or space, The Essential Lotus presents the riches and profundities of one of the most beautiful treasures in any religious heritage. (For this item please quote stock ID 17208) ISBN: 9780231125079